Claims
- 1. In a plastic snap hinge closure having at least one first film hinge connecting a lower part and an upper part, and at least one tension element having two opposite end portions each attached to a corresponding closure wall of each of said lower part and said upper part, the improvement comprising: said at least one tension element comprising a plurality of adjacent partial sections forming a continuously elastic strap in a closed position of said hinge closure, a second film hinge and a third film hinge per each said at least one tension element, said second film hinge formed between said upper part and each said at least one tension element, said third film hinge formed between said lower part and each said at least one tension element, each said continuously elastic strap lying within an approximate plane defined between said second film hinge and said third film hinge in said closed position, said adjacent partial sections meandering through a plurality of curved turns within said approximate plane, and during a pivotal movement of said upper part with respect to said lower part about an axis of rotation of said at least one first film hinge each said partial section elastically deforms to cause a change in a length of each said partial section.
- 2. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein each of said at least one first film hinge is positioned on a console protruding outward with respect to said corresponding closure wall of each of said lower part and said upper part.
- 3. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second film hinge and said third film hinge of said at least one tension element are aligned with said closure walls.
- 4. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second film hinge and said third film hinge of said at least one tension element are positioned parallel to each other.
- 5. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second film hinge and said third film hinge of said at least one tension element are positioned at an angle with respect to each other within said approximate plane in said closed position.
- 6. In a closure in accordance with claim 5, wherein there are two of said at least one tension element which are symmetrically positioned on both sides of said at least one first film hinge which hingedly connects said lower part and said upper part.
- 7. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein each partial section of said at least one tension element extends arcuately in said plane between said second film hinge and said third film hinge in said closed position.
- 8. In a closure in accordance with claim 7, wherein said partial sections arcuately verge into each other and form said continuously elastic strap which meanders in said approximate plane between said second film hinge and said third film hinge in said closed position.
- 9. In a closure in accordance with claim 7, wherein each said partial section is C-shaped.
- 10. In a closure in accordance with claim 7, wherein each said partial section is U-shaped.
- 11. In a closure in accordance with claim 7, wherein each said partial section is O-shaped.
- 12. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said partial sections of said at least one tension element are positioned so that they meander in a serpentine fashion in said approximate plane between said second film hinge and said third film hinge in said closed position.
- 13. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein there are two of said at least one first film hinge and one of said at least one tension element, said one tension element positioned between said two first film hinges wherein said two first film hinges hingedly connect said lower part to said upper part.
- 14. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein there is one of said at least one first film hinge and two of said at least one tension element, each said tension element is positioned on opposite sides of said one first film hinge which hingedly connects said lower part and said upper part.
- 15. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein a material thickness of said partial sections is significantly less than a wall thickness of said closure walls in an area of said second film hinge and said third film hinge.
- 16. In a closure in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one tension element is elastically deformable between 2% and 25% of an at rest length of said one tension element.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
00423/91 |
Feb 1991 |
CHX |
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Parent Case Info
This is a continuation patent application of co-pending patent application having Ser. No. 07/834,117, filed on Feb. 11, 1992, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1056979 |
Feb 1967 |
GBX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
834117 |
Feb 1992 |
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